Labelling Theories of Crime Flashcards
What are labelling theorists?
micro
meanings of thing are constantly being redefined through the interactions of individuals within groups
Labelling theory’s key assumptions on crime and deviance.
reject official statistics and structural explanations (rather look to individuals)
crime is socially constructed
qualitative approaches
Example of how crime and deviance is socially constructed.
Before 1979 homosexuality a criminal offence in UK, still anti-homosexuality laws in 76 countries.
Abortion illegal in UK until 1967, still extremely strict laws surrounding it in Northern Ireland.
What does Becker argue about agents of social control?
their subjective decisions are the basis for what’s counted as criminal/ deviant
‘moral entrepreneurs’
Who does Becker argue are the agents of social control do to less powerful groups?
Carry out greater surveillance and control (e.g. patrolling deprived areas)
More likely to be labelled
Who does Becker argue are especially vulnerable, give a statistic to support this?
Ethnic minority males
Equality and Human Rights Commission: police 28x more likely to stop and search black males than white males
Explain Becker’s process which leads to becoming a career criminal (consequences/ SFP of labels
Person labelled as a deviant publicly -> self concept changes due to how other see them -> deviant amplification as label becomes a master status (overrides all other labels) -> deviant career.
Give the example of an ex-con and how they might become a career criminal.
They ‘suffer’ from the convict status -> harder to seek legitimate employment, rent a house etc (legitimate opportunities blocked due to label) -> more vulnerable to commit more crime to survive
What is Lemert’s primary deviance?
A deviant act that has not been publicly labelled, insignificant acts with little significance for a person’s status
Give an example of primary deviance.
A speeding ticket
What is Lemert’s secondary deviance?
Involved being caught and publicly labelled a criminal and a societal reaction -> master status -> criminal career
What does Cicourel say about typification?
They’re the police’s assumptions/ stereotypes on what the typical offender looks like e.g. w/c EM males
How does Cicourel argue that m/c use negotiation of justice?
They’re able to convince those in the justice system that their child was ‘having a tough time’, has a bright future, they could deal with the situation themselves etc, therefore are less likely to be charged
What could be used as evidence that the m/c use negotiation of justice?
The lower m/c crime rates
Who could be used as a modern example of negotiation of justice?
Brock Turner - found guilty of SA at Stanford
Parents suggested in court that his life shouldn’t be ruined for ‘20mins of action’
Received 6 month sentence (max. was 14yrs)
Give some brief evaluation of Cicourel’s negotiation of justice.
Deterministic - assumes all members of the justice system label delinquents the same way.
Middle and upper classes can’t always negotiate - millionaire’s daughter charged 2yrs for driving around 2011 London riot looters, judge stated that she was from a ‘loving and supporting home’ as an aggravating factor (harsher sentence due to advantaged background).
Incomplete explanation - offers no argument about why crimes committed in 1st place.
Who were Cohen’s mods and rockers and why were they in the media?
Fights between 2 youth subcultures in seaside resorts on bank holidays 1960s.
How did the mods and rockers become folk devils?
Reports on their behaviour constructed a narrative of them as the clear villain (the folk devils) which kickstarted a moral panic.
How did the moral panic (labelling) of the mods and rockers create deviancy amplification?
Started out only minor scuffles but media’s disproportionate reaction led to police acting more forcefully to conflict -> further conflicts.
People involved read the stories about themselves and started to play the parts that were written for them.
How does Venkatesh support Becker’s agents of social control?
Police targeted the Chicago gangs drug runners but didn’t label the drug lords due to their power.
How do realists criticise labelling theory?
Argue that labelling theory ignores the actual victims of crime.
Crime level statistics are not a social construction, they are the real levels of crime.
How do Marxists criticise labelling theory?
They argue they are deeper, structural explanations of crime (the ruling class creating laws to benefit themselves and maintain power), not individual labels.
How is labelling theory too deterministic?
It assumes labels always lead to deviancy amplification, assuming offenders are passive and have no free will, giving them a ‘victim status’.
What is a strength of labelling theory?
It raises important issues such as the abuse of police power.
e.g. discrimination in how the law is enforced
